Synopses & Reviews
Political scientist Vieler grew up in Nazi Germany and later returned as a member of the US military. He finds the roots of national socialism in three interlinked strains of racist thought: mythological and intellectual, from ancient sagas proclaiming the Nordic as the ideal race and urging its regeneration; biological, based on Darwinian theory; and nationalist and conservative calling for a strong state ruled by a single individual.
Synopsis
This study in analytic intellectual history examines the ideologies that animated the rise of Hitler and the Nazi state. The research reveals linkages among three dominant strains of racist thought: mythological/intellectual, its roots in ancient saga, proclaimed the Nordic as the ideal race and urged its regeneration; biological, based on Darwinian theory, became the scientific basis for the claim of German superiority and was the dominant influence on Hitler; nationalist/conservative, called for a strong state to be governed by a single individual. All three strains extolled German superiority and provided the synergistic force that linked leadership, party, and the people.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [131]-144) and index.